Hand-propelled vehicle



W. L. NICOLS.

' HAND PROPELLED VEHlCLE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.21. 1920.

Patented May 9, 1922.

\NVENTOQ William L. Nicois.

TR'QRNEX WILLIAM L. NICOLS, OF TUSCUMBIA, ALABAMA.

HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1922.

Application filed December 27, 1920. Serial No. 433,126.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM L. NicoLs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tuscumbia, in the county of Colbert and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Propelled Vehicles of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hand operated propulsion mechanism for sleds or wheel supported vehicles.

Heretofore sleds and wheel vehicles have been provided with hand propulsion mechanism involving essentially rowing arms, each having pivotally connected thereto a ground engaging kicker bar which was usually shod with a pointed spud to prevent slipping. There are certain inherent difiiculties which prevent such an arrangement forming a practicable and effective propulsion mechanism, its limiting factors being, first, the necessary angular relationship of the kicker bar to the rowing arm and ground level for the eflicient transfer of power to effect forward propulsion of the vehicle; and, second, the shortness of the effective stroke, due to the tendency of the kicker bar to slip as it assumes'its most effective driving angle '-with relation to the rowing arm. These difliculties cannot be overcome except by redesigning the propulsion mechanism so that it is adapted to effectively apply the angular movement of the rowing arm, throughrmt the entire rowing stroke, through the kicker bar to the ground to continuously propel. the vehicle, andto this end my invention contemplates the provision of a rowing arm with a multiplicity of kicker bars so connected, designed and controlled as automatically and'successivelythroughout the rowing stroke to assume the drivmg func tion in a manner best calculated to result thus enabling the driving connection between the arm and kicker bar to start substantially above the pivot point of the row- -ing arm so as to avoid any expenditure of energy in a downward thrust such as would occur untllthe kicker bar joint passes beyond dead center position. above the pivot of the rowing arm,

adapted for reverse propulsion.

A further object is to adapt the rowing arm to displace the shorter or secondary kicker bars during the start of the stroke and to gradually lower them into ground engaging position as their turn to function arrives.

A further object is to provide the rowing arm with normally inoperative kicker bars lliy invention further comprises the novel details of construction and arrangements-of parts, which in their preferred embodiment only are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 illustrates in side elevation a sled equipped with my propulsion mechanism which is shown in intermediate stroke position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the propulsion mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows the propulsion mechanism nearing the end of the stroke with the last kicker bar coming into service; and

Fig. t shows the position of parts at the commencement of the rowing stroke.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

I have shown my propulsion mechanism applied to a sled 1 though this is typical of any wheeled or other vehicle which is adapted to be propelled by hand. A propulsion mechanism is mounted on each side of the sled and both being similar, a description of one will serve for both. Each propulsion mechanism comprises arowing arm 2 having a right angled forward extension 3 at its bottom which is pivoted to the sled bymeans of a pivoted bolt 4. The extension 3 of the arm is interposed between a pair of driving arms 5 which are also mounted on the bolt 4 and which are rivet ted or bolted to the arm 2 as they pass on each side thereof and extend upwardly and rearw'ardly beyond same. These arms 5 are connected to the rowing arm by a bolt or rivet 6 and at their upper ends they are cross connected by a bolt 7 which has pivotally mounted thereon between the arms 5 a main kicker bar 8 and a secondary kicker bar 9. The kicker bar 8 is formed of a pair of angled irons spaced at their upper ends by the interposed kicker bar 9 and cross connected at their lower ends by a spacer member 10 which forms a squared ofi 110 foot at the base of the bar, 'A second and shorter kicker bar 11 is pivotally suspended arm and thus enable the operator to back up' from ams 5 at an intermediate point, being mounted thereon by a. bolt 12 and inter posed between a pair of washers 13.

I pivot to the forward face of the rowing arm 2 a reversing kicker bar 14 which has attached thereto a string or cord 15 which is passed through a suitable opening 16 in the rowing arm and is adapted to be caught on ahook 17 and held normally raised out of operative. position. When the cord is disengaged from the hook this reversing kicker bar will drop downwardly into posit-ion to engagethe ground in advance of the rowing on either or both sides and thus to turn shortly.

. lnoperation, assuming the reversing kicker bar to be suspended out of operating position, theoperator thrusts a rowing arm 1 forward and thus causes the angle at the bottom of the arm to push the lower ends of the supplemental kicker bars 9 and 11 through the opening between the irons formingthe main kicker bar 8 (see Fig. 4), and this permits the bar 8 to come up to its initial driving position (Fig. 4). As the rowing arm is drawn. backward the driving arms 5 presson the angled kicker bar 8. The arms 5 at the beginning of the power stroke stand substantially vertical. The applicationof power to the kicker arm 8 does not have a tendency to lift the sled but only to thrust it forward. This movement of the sled causes a forward. movement of the pivot center bolt 4, causing the arms 5 to rock I the angled bottom end of the rowing arm has-released the supplemental kicker bars 9 ,and 11 so that they are free to swing down to'vertical position with the result that, as the angle wldens between the arms 5 and the kicker bar 8, these supplemental kicker bars are gradually lowered until the longerbar 9 engages the ground as shown in Fig. 1. A

. continued rearward movemen t of the rowing arm will gradually transfer the driving thrust from the bar 8 to bar 9 with the result that the latter gradually assumes full duty and the former'becomes idle. By the time- 'the kicker bar 9 assumes too acute an angle j-to theground for effective propulsion, the

kicker bar 11 engages the ground. (seeFig.

- and gradually-assumes the full thrust load during theicompletionof the driving stroke. of the rowing arm. I thus obtain a successive or walking drive from these kicker arms 8, 9 and'11 and am enabled to obtain a most effluent-delivery of power for propul- .sion purposes throughout the entire stroke of the rowing arm and at no time is the power exerted :with, a, lifting effecton the sled and attnortime-is the;kicker bar called on for duty afterit has assumed too acute an angle to theuground. It51s preferable in-mylap ground at the commencement of their respective stroke and will gradually rock their near corner edge into ground engaging position as the driving stroke of the kicker bar is completed. At any time that it is desired to make a quick turn or to reverse or back the sled, the reversing kicker bars 14 are released and will fall by gravity into operating position and will function by a 'dlrect forward thrust of the rowing arm which will be an idle stroke in so far as the kicker bars 8, 9 and 11 are concerned.

It should be understood that I claim certain important advantagesfrom the design of the rowing arm and the shape of the angled kicker bars 8 and their attachment by the arms 5 to the rowing arm and this arrangement alone will produce improved results over the former hand propulsion mechanism.

it will be further understood that i'may I use one or more of the supplemental kicker bars as may be desired and that the rowing mechanism may be made up and assembled of any suitable material andin any practicable and workmanlike manner without/departing from the spirit of my invention;

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and 'desireto' secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A hand propulsion mechanismfor a vehicle, comprising a rowing arm having at its lower end a forward extension'which is pivoted to the vehicle -and'having a member projecting rearwardly from and rigid with the arm, and; an angled kicker 'bar pivotally connected to said member. v

.2. A rowing me'chanismas described in claim 1, in which the angled kicker bar has a short substantially horizontally disposed upper member and substantially vertically disposed lower member,-which latterternnnates in a squared-off bottom'ground engaging end.

3. A hand propulsion mechanism for a vehicle, comprising on'each side thereof: a

4c. A hand propulsion mechanism for -ve- *hicles, comprising on each side of the vehicle a rowing arm, a rearwardlyextending upwardly lnclined member IlgldWltll the arm,

:and a: plurality of kicker bars mounted at different points along 'zsaid 'member and adapted for successive operation.

5, A hand propulsion mechanism for vehicles comprising on each side of the vehicle a rowing arm pivotally connected thereto,-

and a plurality of kicker bars operable by the arm, said bars being of such length relative to their spacing from the pivot of the arm that they will. successively engagethe ground during the stroke of the arm.

6. A hand propulsion mechanism in accordance with claim 5, in which the rowing arm comprises an inclined member from which the kicker bars made of varying length are hung in spaced. relation and adapted to successively engage the ground.

7. A hand propulsion mechanism for vehicles, comprising on each side thereof a rowing arm having a right angled forwardly extending bottom end pivoted to the vehicle, a rearwardly projecting member rigid with the rowing arm, a plurality of kicker bars of diiferent lengths connected to said member, the outermost kicker arm being adapted to permit the free ends of the other bars to pass it when said outermost bar assumes its initial driving position.

8. A hand propulsion mechanism in accordance with claim 7 in which the outermost kicker bar is formed by a pair of spaced members suitably connected at their ends and between which the free ends of the other kicker bars can pass when engaged by the bottom angled end of the rowing arm.

9.- A hand propulsion mechanism for vehicles, comprising a pivoted rowing arm having forwardly and rearwardly disposed kicker bars pivotally connected thereto, and means to hold the forward kicker bar normally out of operating position.

10. A hand propulsion mechanism for vehicles, comprising for each side thereof a rowing arm having at its base a forward right angled short extension, a pair of driving arms, a pivot bolt connecting the free end of said extension and the lower ends of said driving arms to the vehicle, means to attach the driving arms to the rowing arm at an intermediate point, leaving their free ends projecting upwardly and rearwardly behind the rowing arm, and a main kicker bar pivotally mounted between the free ends oi said driving arms.

11. A driving mechanism in accordance with claim 10, in which themain kicker bar is formed of spaced members, and a supplemental kicker bar is interposed between said members and the driving arms and pivoted to the latter by a common pivot bolt.

12. A hand propulsion mechanism in accordance with claim 11, in which a further kicker bar is pivotally connected between said driving arms at an intermediate point between the rowing arm and the free end of the driving arms, said last mentioned kicker bar being of such length as to engage the ground after the other kicker bars.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM L. moons.

Witness T. E. BURTON. 

